It is not often that a new-born baby receives a letter. But on 18 November 1936, Henry King Gordon wrote to his firstborn daughter, Janet Ivy Giselle, who was born on 2 October. She was known as Ivy, my beloved Aunt 'Attie'. Her father wrote:
"My dear darling wee mite of a daughter,
It is only a few weeks ago that I heard from your beautiful good Mother of your arrival and I hope you are going to stay on a long, long visit, in fact I hope you will never never go away. I must apologize for not being there to meet you., but I will tell you all about that very soon now, when I see you - only 4 months to go now. I think it is as well to warn you that if you someday find yourself suddenly seized by a great big man in dirty clothes and a nasty rough chin and hugged as if he was going to (illegible) you, you musn't be a bit frightened, for it will only be your old daddy, who wants to come badly to see you, you mite, and your dear Mother, so remember to think at the proper time --- this is only my dear big old Daddy who loves me."
In fact, Ivy lived to be 72 and died of a stroke in 1968. She had been a heavy smoker all her life and might have lived a lot longer otherwise. But perhaps her father, writing at a time when life expectancy was shorter than it is now, would have been satisfied with 72 years being a 'long, long visit'.
